The Steven Lasombras began as a solo recording project in 2001. The songs all belong to the same narrative continuity, with scenes from a sort of alternate-history netherworld. From the beginning, I did my best to produce dense, challenging recordings that rewarded close listening. The list of important influences on this project goes on forever: Einstürzende Neubauten, Old Time Relijun, Nick Cave, Thrones, Nine Inch Nails, The Microphones, Parts & Labor, Tracy + The Plastics, Tori Amos... artists like Käthe Kollwitz, Max Klinger, Francis Bacon, Edward Gorey, Dave McKean... Davids Lynch and Cronenberg... Kafka, Borges, Marquez, Lovecraft, Cormac McCarthy...

This was my best attempt to create something magical and beautiful and weird, the type of thing that I would be thrilled to discover.

Written as of 2003, in production since 2011, "He Must Go By Another Way...", the full-length album/book project, is still brewing. This is the thing I've been trying to make since the beginning, and The SLs as an active project will end when it is complete.

Here's an early preview, featuring some sounds that I don't think have since been edited out or replaced...

Live performances have been rare, and have featured a revolving lineup of players. Live incarnations have included Chris Ryan, Alex Landers, Benjamin Blanding, Jevon Cutler, and Bobby Hayden. The most recent live incarnation of The SLs eventually became Crime Wit.